Net Zero Energy Building - The Boathouse, UK Youth Activity Centre

HPW designed a net zero energy boathouse for the centre, which will provide owners UK Youth with a structure capable of generating its own income from the energy it produces.

Founded in 1911, UK Youth is a charity reaching 750,000 young people each year. This important development is part of a series of phased improvements at Avon Tyrrell to cater for the growing demand for holidays and activities there.

The Boathouse is the Winner of the 2014 CPRE Awards Green Buildings category.

"...the boathouse will be able to convert enough solar energy to heat 6,000 litres of water every day..."

Fitted with a hybrid solar thermal, photovoltaic and accelerative heat pump system, the boathouse will be able to convert enough solar energy to heat 6,000 litres of water every day for the facility’s shower block. Not only will the lakeside structure generate all the energy it needs to operate but it will also feed surplus energy back into the grid providing the charity with valuable additional income from the Government’s Feed in Tariff and Renewable Heat Incentive schemes.

Within seven years the technology will have paid for itself and in approximately a further eight years, the cost of the entire building will have been covered by revenue received from the renewable energy it produces.

The development is part of a series of phased improvements at Avon Tyrrell to cater for the growing demand for holidays and activities there. It will replace a mixture of existing temporary structures and be designed to cater for guests with disabilities.

As well as a shower and toilet block, the boathouse will also feature a secure equipment store. More than 10,000 young people every year are expected to use the new facility including those visiting the activity centre for water sports, camping and fishing.